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DARE to stay drug free. What a powerful statement for the fifth graders at Florence Elementary to pledge before entering into middle school, the peer pressuring years. Officer Adam Argullin, with the Florence Police Department, met with the fifth grade students for 10 weeks, teaching them the dangers of tobacco, marijuana, alcohol and other drugs. More important, Officer Adam opened a line of communication with the students as a helping role and not an enforcement role. The students were able to relate to him on a personal level. Officer Adam shared his interests and listened to the dreams and interests of 90 students.
The program let the students practice different ways to say “No” when approached about using drugs. To conclude the program each student wrote an essay expressing what they learned about drug abuse. One student from each class was chosen to read their essay at the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) graduation. The winners were Ben Morris, Chloe Callen, Karen Diaz Bautista, and Emma Tanner.
Officer Bryan Murphy along with is co-worker Amadeus, a K-9, made a special appearance during the graduation program. Amadeus is a helpful asset to the police force with his keen sense of smell. He performs many functions from being a patrol dog, searching for human odor or drugs, and performs article searches in record time compared to a law officer. Officer Murphy had Amadeus demonstrate his obedience and training for the students and their parents.
To conclude the program officer Adam surprised the students with a drumming expo by playing an instrumental track from the band “Maroon Five”. He grew up in a musical family and was pulled between becoming a police officer or pursuing a musical career. He is now able to enjoy both. Never give up on your dreams, pursue your passions, and see where life takes you!